After a hiatus of five months, the South Cairo Criminal Court, which is considering the case known as “Battle of the Camel,” decided on Wednesday to summon presidential candidate Mortada Mansour, a defendant in the case, his son, Ahmed, and his nephew, Wahid Salah Gomaa.
The court also decided to adjourn until Thursday to hear the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses.
Twenty-four defendants are accused in the case, including Ahmed Fathi Sorour, former speaker of the People’s Assembly; Safwat al-Sherif, former speaker of the Shura Council; Aisha Abdel Hady, former minister of manpower; and Hussein Megawer, former president of the Trade Union Federation, all of whom are facing charges of inciting the killing of peaceful protesters in Tahrir Square on 2 and 3 February 2011 during the demonstrations that forced former President Hosni Mubarak to step down.
The demonstrators were attacked by men riding a camel and horses, hence the name of the case.
Mansour, who had requested that the judge be replaced, which the court would consider on 14 April, did not show up to the last three court sessions, while his son and nephew are being tried in absentia. He had applied to run in the presidential elections on Sunday.
